Oklahoma Watch (https://oklahomawatch.org/category/children/)
Since 2012, the number of child care facilities has dropped by nearly one-quarter, putting parents in a pinch as they try to find places to take their kids. Industry representatives blame excessive regulation and subsidy income limits that exclude many parents who still struggle with the expense.
Despite more than two decades of national and state safe-sleep campaigns, co-sleeping and other unsafe sleeping practices are playing a significant role in dozens of infant deaths across Oklahoma each year.
Here’s a list of things to do and not to do when it comes to sleeping practices involving an infant.
As the waiting list for individualized services for developmentally disabled Oklahomans grows, the state Department of Human Services is considering changing the first-come, first-served approach to a priority system. It’s unclear how the system would work and whether it would be fair and effective.
Three leaders involved in children’s issues talk about the implications of state budget decisions on the lives of young people. Guests included state Sen. AJ Griffin, Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy CEO Joe Dorman, and Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth Director Lisa Smith.
When school’s out, in summer or afternoon, many parents face a struggle. Research shows that children without access to summer and after-school learning programs can suffer academically, but finding good, affordable ones is an arduous task. Oklahoma provides no state funding, and a federal program could be eliminated.
Oklahoma Watch will host a public forum on Tuesday, May 23, in Oklahoma City on how the state’s budget challenges could affect the well-being of children.
Oklahoma Watch will sponsor a free “Oklahoma Watch-Out” public forum in Oklahoma City on May 3 on the issue of hunger in the state and whether the problem is getting worse.
As many as 96,000 Oklahoma children have a parent in prison, yet the state is cutting back programs that give them better odds in life.
Various private groups serve children of incarcerated parents.
Child advocates are criticizing gaps in Oklahoma’s child-abuse registry, saying they prevent thousands of teachers, nonprofit volunteers and others who work with children from being screened for a history of child abuse.
